THE HOSPICE BENEFIT FOR VETERANS
Hospice care is part of the Veterans Health Administration VA benefits package. As a veteran, you are eligible for care if you are enrolled in benefits and you meet the medical need for hospice.
Enrollment information is found on the Veterans Affairs website or call a hospice care coordinator at a SSHS.
Care at no cost to veterans or their families
Hospice-related expenses for enrolled veterans are covered at 100 percent. SSHS receives payment in full from Medicare, Medicaid, Tri-Care or the Veterans Administration. We also provide charity hospice care to our uninsured veterans.
VA MISSION ACT
On June 6, 2019, military veterans gained access to more community health care options thanks to the VA MISSION Act. Veterans who must drive 30 minutes or more to a VA care provider or 60 minutes for specialty care now have the option to choose a community provider closer to home.
Veterans living in communities served by Silver-spring Healthcare may have new opportunities to access our goals of care services or palliative care programs.
WE HONOR VETERANS PROGRAM
We partner with VA Assist to improve our care for veterans. The program offers resources and training to align our care with the unique physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of our veteran patients.
VA hospice benefit highlights
ELIGIBILITY FOR VETERANS
If you served as an active duty military officer and were separated under any condition other than dishonorable, you likely qualify for VA health care benefits. Current and former members of the Reserve or National Guard who were called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which they were ordered may be eligible for VA health benefits as well.
Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatrics and Long-term Care page for hospice and palliative care application forms.
Benefits of the veterans program include:
Specialized emotional support
Military service may leave some veterans with physical or emotional wounds. Potential problems from service in combat are well known. What may be less visible are problems from exposure to chemical or biological hazards, extreme weather, diseases or emotional trauma. These wounds can be present, even for veterans in non-combat roles.
Military service values perseverance, even in the face of difficulty or pain. Some veterans may suppress problems until the end of life. We fully support our veterans to help them find peace and to make the most of the time they have with family and friends.